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Speaking up about Sound Transit bus and rail

Sound Transit is getting ready to set the hours its light-rail trains will run when that system opens nexts year. It’s also proposing some changes in its Eastside express bus routes, and wants to hear from travelers about both. Two public meetings are scheduled on the subjects. One is an open house Thurdsay (Nov. 20) in the Great Hall at Sound Transit headquarters, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The second is a public hearing from noon to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 4, also at agency headquarters but in the board room, in front of agency board members (a spokeswoman said the hearing time will be lengthened if speakers can’t all be accommodated in half an hour).
Proposed changes include:

* LIGHT RAIL. Proposed hours for light rail, scheduled to open in July between downtown Seattle and Tukwila, are 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and 6 a.m. to midnight on Sundays and holidays. The agency plans trains to arrive at stations every 6 to 8 minutes during weekday peak periods, and every 10 to 15 minutes during non-peak hours. Link light rail fares will be established in early 2009 after another process of public comment, though the agency has said they’ll be comparable to bus fares. Service will extend to Sea-Tac Airport by December of 2009, and passengers will be shuttled by bus between the Tukwila Station and the airport starting in July until the rail system is opened at the airport.

* BUSES. The agency also wants to change three routes connecting Issaquah, Bellevue and downtown and north Seattle. Changes on Route 554 include moving the Eastgate Park-and-Ride stop to the HOV direct access ramp platforms, and increasing weekday service from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes at midday between Seattle and Issaquah. Changes to Routes 555 and 556 include consolidating the Eastgate Park-and-Ride stops at the HOV-direct access ramp platforms, and rerouting buses to Bellevue Way Southeast and the South Bellevue Park-and-Ride; the agency nthinks that will create better connections to other regional routes.

Outside of the public meetings, comments are due Nov. 30. They can be e-mailed to fastride@soundtransit.org. They can be sent postal mail to Carol Masnik at Sound Transit, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104 or can be left by telephone at 1-866-940-4387. More information about the 2009 service plan and light-rail fares is online at www.soundtransit.org.

Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.